Mr Charles Olive

Mr Charles Olive was born at 16 Union Street in Southampton, Hampshire, England on 3 January 1881.

He was the son of Harry Olive (1861-1887), a carman, and Henrietta Rickman (1861-1938) a dressmaker, both Southampton-natives who had married in that city in 1879 and going on to have at least four children.

He first appears on the 1881 census a 3-month-old infant, listed with his family at 27 Briton Street in St Mary, Southampton. Charles' father died in 1887 and by the 1891 census he and his family were living with widower Frederick Doel at 1 York Street in Southampton, his mother being described as a housekeeper. Henrietta Olive and Frederick Doel were married in late 1892 in Southampton following the birth of sons Frederick Olive in 1889 and Alfred James in 1891. They went on to have a further ten children: Arthur Thomas (b. 1893), William Henry (b. 1893), Lucy Violet (b. 1894), Albert Edward (b. 1896), Daisy Winifred (b. 1897), Cecil James (b. 1898), Gladys May (b. 1899), Reginald Kimberley (b. 1901), Norman Charles (b. 1902) and William Kildonen (b. 1907). Out of a total of twelve children born, only four survived past infancy.

By the time of the 1901 census Charles was absent but his mother, step-father and siblings are living at 9 College Street, Southampton.
Charles was married in early 1907 to Rosina Channell (b. 1884 in Southampton) and they had one son, Charles Frederick (b. 1908) who lived just a few weeks.

On the 1911 census Charles is again absent but his wife is listed alone at 43 College Street, Southampton.

When he signed on to the Titanic Olive gave his address as 43 College Street, Southampton; his previous ship had been the Oceanic and as a greaser, he could expect to earn monthly wages of £6 10s. Also serving on the Titanic was his half-brother Frederick Olive Doel and family acquaintance and boarder to his mother, David Matherson.

Charles Olive was lost in the Titanic disaster and his body, if recovered, was never identified. His brother Frederick Doel survived.

Hard on the heels of his own death came another sad loss; his stepfather Frederick Doel, upon hearing of the Titanic disaster fell ill and died with worry, leaving his mother a widow again:

DOEL--F, at 20 Richmond Street: the beloved husband of Henrietta Doel, who was called to rest so sudden after hearing the disaster of his son and stepson on the Titanic. Also David Matherson, aged 37, boarder of the above, who gave his place to our son, F. Doel, who was saved. - Southern Daily Echo, 1 May 1912

His mother Henrietta was remarried in 1914 to George Coles before her death in 1938.

Charles' widow Rosina was remarried in 1913 to Henry Dempsey and they had a son, Ernest in 1922. Rosina died in Southampton in 1941.